Flexible closure



May 31, 1932 J. B. FREYSINGER 1,860,808

FLEXIBLE cL'osURE Filed June l5, 1926 f. rNvENToR f2' EMV h M @MY f Patented May 31, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN B. FREYSINGER, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIG-NOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, 10 HOOKLESS FASTENER CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA COMPANY, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A

FLEXIBLE CLOSURE Application led June 15,

This invention relates to flexible closures of the type having a pair of stringersor tapes provided, on their opposed edges, with clasps or locking members which are adapted to be successively brought into 'interlocking relation when a slide is moved longitudinally of the tapes in one direction, and which are moved out of interlocking engagement when the slide is moved in the opposite direction.

'lhe object of the invention is to provide a closure of this sort having various features of novelty and advantage, and which is particularly characterized by its economy in manufacture and effectiveness in operation, each of the clamping members being of relatively simple construction so that they may be cheaply made and assembled, and the parts so cooperating that the closure may be closed and opened with a very smooth and easy movement, sticking or ,j amming being avoided. My improved closure is very secure, in that there is no danger of the locking mem- `bers becoming accidentally disengaged and,

when the closure is closed, it is relatively fiexible.

.A further aim of the invention is to provide, in a flexible closure of this sort, an improved tape or Stringer, this Stringer having an elastic and fiexible bead to which the locking members are secured so that the beaded edge of the Stringer may be stretched as the locking members move towards and away from each other as they pass through thev slide, and the locking members may more readily come to their normal positions as they are brought into locking relation. Further, my improved tape or stringer prevents a misshapen or wavy edge.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out morge in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I 1926. Serial No. 116,206.

have shown, for illustrative purposes, several forms which the features of the present invention may take:

Figure l is an elevational view showing the complete assembly;

Fig. Z is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 and looking in the direction of the arrows associated with that line;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the locking members of the assembled structure shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view showing a number of these locking members or clasps in interlocking relation and in longitudinal section;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modification of the locking member shown in Fig. 3,;

Fig. t5 is an elevational view of a number of the locking members of Fig. 5 in interlocking relation;

Fig. -7 is a development of a pierced blank from which the locking member shown in Fig. 5 may be formed;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view through one of the sti'ingers and showing the elastic bead thereof, the bead being circular; h

Fig. 9 is a View similar to Fig. 8 but showing the bead oval in cross section;

Fig. .l0 is a similar View showing the bead oblong in cross section;

Fig. ll is a view similar to Fig. 8, but showing a resilient coiled spring in the bead; and

Fig. l2 is a side view of the bead with a portion of the fabric broken away to illus` trate the spring therein. y i

Referring to the drawings in det-ail, a and o denote the respective stringers or tapes; c, e designate the locking members of the series secured to the tape a; and (i, d designate the locking members of the series secured to the edge 'of the stringer b. e is a slide for engaging and disengaging the locking men'ibers. This slide may be of any suitable construction, the particular form and arrangement thereof forming no part of the present invention. j' designates a bottom stop of any suitable construction for limiting the opening movement of the slide,

. and g, y,

top stops ywhich may also be of any suitable construction for limiting the closing movement of the slide.

In the present illustrative disclosures of the invention, the locking me-mbers of both series are preferably of identical construction so as to effect economy in manufacture, and each locking member is adapted to beinterlocked with the superimposed locking member and the subj acent locking member of the opposite series.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, each of these locking members preferably consists of a strip or block formed from sheet metal or other malleable material, the block or strip having, at its rear or attac-hed end, a pierced opening 10 and a slot 11 leading thereinto so as to form a pair of wings or jaws 12. The bead of the Stringer, and which beadI will described more in detail hereinafter, 1s adapted to engage in the opening 10, and the jaws 12 are forced towards each other so .as to securely clamp the locking member m place on the stringer. At the forward or free end of each locking member is a depending lug 13, immediately behind which is an opening or pocket 14 closed except on the faces of said member which extend transversely of its stringer. The forward edges of the body portion of the locking member and the lug 13 are rounded, as illustrated, so as to form a cam surface whereby the locking members of the two series will properly ride into locking relation to one another when the slide is moved upwardly, referring to Fig. 1. The rear face 16 of the lug is at right angles to the plane of the clamping member and forms a continuation of the surface provided by the forward edge of the opening 14.

The rea-r edge of this opening is preferably inclined downwardly and forwardly, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. These locking members may be formed by stamping out and piercing a blank and then turning down one edge of the blank and finally cut ting away each end of the down turned end or flange so as to leave the lug 13.

The loc-king members are assembled on the stringers in staggered relation, as shown in Fig. 1. From this figure, it will be seen that each locking member, when the fastening device is closed, is in interlocking relation with the subjacent and superimposed loc-le ing members of the opposite series, the lug of each locking member engaging in the pocket of the next lower one.

In the embodiment disclosed in Figs. 5 to 7, the locking members c and d are generally similar to those disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4, but instead of being formed of a single thickness of material, such as sheet metal, each is formed of a double thickness, preferably by stamping out a strip of sheet metal and then folding the metal along its medial transverse line. The blank from which a locking member may be formed is shown in Fig. 7 and has pierced therein,`adjacent its opposite ends, openings 10 and slots 1l. Adjacent the central portion of the blank is an opening or pocket 14 and, to the other side of the medial transverse center, is cut a three-sided slit, the metal Within the slit being adapted to form a lug 16. The strip, shown in Fig. 7, is folded over upon itself so as to bring the holes 10 into registry, and the lug 16 is bent down so that its free end extends below the bottom surface of the locking member. lt will be clear that the locking members, shown in Figs. 5 to 7, are 'capable of being very economically manufactured and are relatively strong and rigid. A flexible closure having locking members of this type operates in the same manner as the closure shown in Fig. l.

In accordance with the present invention` each of the stringcrs is beaded, and this bead has a flexible elastic core 20,. This core may be of any suitable construction which gives the desired results and may be incorporated in the bead in any desired manner. For instance, able elastic material such as rubber, as shown in Figs. 8 to 10, or may comprise a coiled spring 21, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. The elastic filler or core may have the fabric of the stringer woven around it, or the edge o`f the Woven fabric may be folded around the elastic filler or core and then stitched in place, or any other suitable expedient may be adopted. The cross sectional shape. of the core may be varied; for instance, it may be round, as shown in Fig. 8; oval, as shown in Fig. 9; or oblong, as shown in Fig. 10. As previously stated, the locking members are clamped to the beaded edges of the stringers.' It is of particular advantage to have the stringers or tapes provided with a bead having an elastic core or liller, as just described, for the reason that the stringers may accommodate themselves without undue strains or permanent distortion to the bending action which results inthe beads when the locking members pass through the slide, it being observed from Fig. 1 that, as these locking members pass through the slide, the longitudinal curvature of the beads varies. Thus, the uniform shape of the stringers is maintained and unsightly wavy edges,

the core may be formed of a stretchwhen the closure is opened, are avoided.

be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that4 the language used in the following claims is intend; ed to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, a matter' of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim as my invention:

l. A flexible closure of the character described having a pair of flexible stringers, and a series of locking members on each Istringer, said locking members being staggeredly arranged and each comprising a body portion having an opening spaced from its free end and closed except on the faces of said member extending transversely of its stringer and a depending lug at its free end, the lug of each member bein adapted to engage in the opening of the su jacent one. y 2. A flexible closure of the character described having a pair of stringers, and a series of locking members secured to the edge of each stringer, each of said locking members having, adjacent its free end, a pocket opening only on the faces of the member which extend transversely of its Stringer and .each having a depending lug forwardly of-the pocket, the forward ed e of said locking member bein rounded to orm a cam surface.

3. A exible closure of the character described having a pair of flexible stringers, and a series of locking members on the edge of each Stringer, the locking members of one series being identical to, and in staggered relation with, those of the other series and each of said locking members comprising a piece of sheet metal having, adjacent its free end, an opening closed except on the faces of the member which extend transversely of its stringer and at its forward end a depending lug, the forward wall of the opening and the rear edge of the lug being in alinement.

4. A flexible closure of the character de-v scribed having a pair of llexiblestringers, and a series of locking members secured to each stringer, the locking members of one series being adapted to interlock with those of the other series, each of said locking members comprising a strip of material folded upon itself and with all portions of the plies of the fold in contact, each of the locking members having, adjacent its free and folded edge, a pocket and also having, at its folded edge, a depending lug.

5. A flexible closure of the character described, including a stringer having a bead provided with an elastic core, and locking members secured to said bead.

6. A flexible closure of the character described, including a flexible stringer having a bead provided with a rubber core, and locking members clamped to said bead.

7. A flexible closure of the character described having a flexible Stringer provided with a bead including a flexible coiled spring, and locking members clamped onv said bead.

8. A fastening for a pair of flexible strips, comprising a'series of members on each of said strips,feach having clamping jaws to attach the same to the strip and a single recess in a portion extending beyond said clamping jaws, a single finger carried by each of said members, the fingers on each series of members extendin into 'the recesses in the other series of mem ers, said recess being closed on all four sides to confine said finger therein, said recesses in one series being out of alignment with the recesses of the other series whereby the interlocking relation is staggered. l

9. A separable fastener comprising a pair of flexible strips, solid substantially flat interlocking members positioned on said strips, each having jaws to grip the strip and an opening in the portion extending beyond the strip pierced entirely through said strip, a finger extendiner from ythe portion be ond said opening, said finger being set out 0 vertical alignment with its opening and positioned to enter the opening of the opposite member.

` JOHN B. FREYSINGER. 

